Culture

Acis and Galatea review: an ethusiastic and cheerful cast pulls off a difficult opera

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Vittoria Zerbini This year, the Cardiff University Operatic Society (CUOS) has decided to stage Acis and Galatea by H├ñndel as their yearly production. Acis and Galatea is an opera that, since 1718, has encountered much success and many adaptations, even from big names of the music scene such as Mozart, who staged his vision of the pastoral opera in 1788. Acis and Galatea … Continue reading Acis and Galatea review: an ethusiastic and cheerful cast pulls off a difficult opera

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Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Everything Everything @Colston Hall, Bristol, 5/03/18

By Luisa De la Concha Montes Days before Everything EverythingÔÇÖs concert in Bristol, we were panicking. The starting date of the tour was supposed to be in Dublin, but because of the weather, the band had to postpone it. On top of that, they also had to cancel and postpone their gigs in Norwich and Birmingham. So, there we were, continuously (and a bit desperately) … Continue reading Live Review: Everything Everything @Colston Hall, Bristol, 5/03/18

rowanlees
Culture

“Acis and Galatea”: Cardiff University Operatic SocietyÔÇÖs take on the English classic pastoral opera

by Vittoria Zerbini The Cardiff University Operatic Society has, ever since its emergence, staged many concerts. A few examples are the 2011 H├ñndelÔÇÖs Messiah or the 2014 Mozart’s Die Zauberfl├Âte. This yearÔÇÖs production is a nod to the societyÔÇÖs beginnings with H├ñndelÔÇÖs Acis and Galatea. Acis and Galatea was written between 1717 and 1718 by H├ñndel, who composed the music, and John Gay, who wrote … Continue reading “Acis and Galatea”: Cardiff University Operatic SocietyÔÇÖs take on the English classic pastoral opera

andreagaini
Food

International Women’s Day: A Celebration of Cardiff’s Women in Food and Hospitality.

This is a very last-minute article. This morning when I woke up, I realised my time as Food and Drinks editor for Quench Magazine is coming to an end soon; with our final issueÔÇÖs pitches sent in, the only creative space left for me is our online outlet. Then I realised it was International WomenÔÇÖs day. I scrolled through social media, seeing women lifting each … Continue reading International Women’s Day: A Celebration of Cardiff’s Women in Food and Hospitality.

charlotteclark
Food

Cardiff Viva! Vegan Festival – A Review.

I never really know what to expect of vegan fair events like these. IÔÇÖve had lukewarm experiences where there were about four to five different stalls all selling some variation of vegan cake, IÔÇÖve had slightly better experiences where there were a lot of stalls but the venue was too small, too cold, smelt funny. So I find that its best to go without any … Continue reading Cardiff Viva! Vegan Festival – A Review.

charlotteclark
Film & TV

Review: Downsizing

Alexander Payne embarks on his latest cinematic journey in a transformative tackling of ever-present social, moral and political issues through an accessible, entertaining, bitesize medium. At a first glance, the film would appear as a standard Hollywood comedic throwaway with an interesting twist; Norwegian scientists have created a manner through which the human body can be shrunk down to a mere 5ÔÇØ, the process of … Continue reading Review: Downsizing

mollyjackson
Film & TV

Awards Season 2018: Oscars Expectations

“There are a lot of great movies that have won the Academy Award, and a lot of great movies that haven’t. You just do the best you can.” – Clint Eastwood, Best Director, Million Dollar Baby, 2004 ItÔÇÖs Oscars time! The marmite of the festival season; you either love it or hate it. Known for its particular criteria and controversy for its snubs and #OscarsSoWhite, … Continue reading Awards Season 2018: Oscars Expectations

mollyjackson
Culture

Live Review: Train-spotting

Words by Erin Brown Seeing the announcement of Trainspotting taking to the stages, I was unsure how such an iconic film and book could be replicated in the theatre. The intense images of heroin consumption, the gruesome toilet scenes, the harrowing deaths or the terrifying heroin withdrawals; how on earth can this be successfully represented in person, on the stage, in front of your very … Continue reading Live Review: Train-spotting

erinbrown
Culture

Sunset Boulevard review: soaring melodies and exquisite acting

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Esther Morris As an avid musical theatre fan, it is not an easy thing for me to admit that I was not all too familiar with Sunset Boulevard before seeing the touring production at the Wales Millennium Centre; however, I certainly left with the soaring melodies stuck in my head and the feeling that I could have happily watched it again the following … Continue reading Sunset Boulevard review: soaring melodies and exquisite acting

andreagaini
Live Reviews, Music

LIVE REVIEW AND INTERVIEW: Himalayas @ Clwb Ifor Bach

Words by Naomi Kensall Himalayas finish their eight-gig UK tour with a homecoming gig at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. The indie-rock band formed in 2015 and released their debut EP ÔÇÿEcstasyÔÇÖ, in 2016 with a highly positive response. They have grown rapidly since, establishing their own sound over the last three years. Made up of Mike Griffiths on lead guitar and vocals, Joe Williams on … Continue reading LIVE REVIEW AND INTERVIEW: Himalayas @ Clwb Ifor Bach

erinbrown
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Fickle Friends @The Globe 26/2/18

Formed in Brighton back in 2013, Indie pop band Fickle Friends have been establishing their place in the live music scene for some years now.┬á Kicking off the first night of their current tour in the Globe on Albany Road on the 26th February, their bright and energetic set showed that this band know how to work a crowd.┬á┬á The combination of the synth pop … Continue reading Live Review: Fickle Friends @The Globe 26/2/18

rowanlees
Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Very Swish” by Bethan Rose Jenkins

Our Creative Contest was very popular and brought to our eyes some great pieces of literature; here is another one of them, a short story about a “very swish” car drive. Enjoy! Very Swish by Bethan Rose Jenkins I lost a tooth in a CadburyÔÇÖs ├®clair, once. Strange, the things that you remember. I can recall the sensation so clearly. The durable adhesive of the … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Very Swish” by Bethan Rose Jenkins

andreagaini
Culture

Don Giovanni review: an entertaining and delightful production

by Andrea Gaini ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà A delightful opera season could not have been ended in a better way by the Welsh National Opera. If La Forza del Destino and Tosca were two great productions, Don Giovanni was simply greater in every sense. MozartÔÇÖs beautiful composition was highlighted and honoured with an all-round gorgeous creation at the Wales Millennium Centre. The opera focuses on the life of … Continue reading Don Giovanni review: an entertaining and delightful production

andreagaini
Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Split Ends” by Elizabeth Beckett

While we wait for issue 167 to come out and reveal the winner of Quench’s Creative Contest, here is a short story which deals with love, adultery, and a surprising finale. Enjoy! Split Ends by Elizabeth Beckett Her fingers were hard and broken from washing and cutting and perming and dying and curling and shaving hair all day long. And it was a long day. … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Split Ends” by Elizabeth Beckett

andreagaini
Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Birds of a feather” by Megan Carro-Le May

Here is the first participant in Quench’s Short Story Contest; a story presenting colourful and imaginative details. Enjoy! Birds of a Feather┬áby Megan Carro-Le May Birds chant their morning song as a warm honey-coloured ray of sunlight warms the room. Slowly, Melody opens her eyes, peeking up from under the duvet. She stretches, yawns and smiles. Today is her birthday. She hops out of bed … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Birds of a feather” by Megan Carro-Le May

andreagaini
Culture

The Barber of Seville review: Swansea City Opera successfully attempt a hard revival

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Andrea Gaini RossiniÔÇÖs The Barber of Seville is one of the wittiest and most entertaining operas in history. Its rhythmed music and comical libretto give life to the story of Count Almaviva and his love for Rosina. The plot is a quite entangled and complicated one, made of trickeries, undelivered and lost letters, serenades, a barber, and a happy ending. The Swansea City … Continue reading The Barber of Seville review: Swansea City Opera successfully attempt a hard revival

andreagaini
Culture

Posh review: Act One amplifies WadeÔÇÖs social message

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Manjeevan Kaur Act OneÔÇÖs energetic performance and relentlessly sharp acting in the play is a definite must see. The high level of talent and delivery of Laura WadeÔÇÖs Posh tackled wider social themes in a fresh way. Each young actor completely engaged with their role and each dynamic scene was confidently executed. A thoroughly eye-opening play. Which at all the right times hits … Continue reading Posh review: Act One amplifies WadeÔÇÖs social message

andreagaini
Film & TV

Review: God’s Own Country

God’s Own Country is the film Hollywood forgot about. Move over Jon Snow, thereÔÇÖs a new brooding protagonist in town. Meet Johnny, (Josh OÔÇÖConnor) the son of a disabled sheep farmer (Ian Hart), living a rather monotonous life in the rural moors of Yorkshire, consisting of drinking, puking and casual hook-ups with random men. But this is all turned upside-down with the arrival of Romanian … Continue reading Review: God’s Own Country

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